A wireless LAN is a local area network that transmits over the air. Typically, one or more wireless base stations, which are also referred to as access points, are wired to an Ethernet network, while wireless adapters are either built into or attached to client devices. The access points and the wireless devices communicate via radio frequency over an area of several hundred feet through walls and other barriers. If there are multiple access points as in a corporation, for example, then roaming devices can be handed-off from one access point to another. One example of a wireless LAN standard today is 802.11, also called Wi-Fi. For short distances between two devices, a wireless personal area network (PAN) may be used, such as Bluetooth. Bluetooth is an open standard for short-range transmission of digital voice and data between local devices, such as laptops, PDAs, imaging devices, phones, and desktop devices.
One application for a wireless LAN is in the home for connecting two or more computers/devices. A home LAN is often the same Ethernet network found in companies, except that the home network is typically configured as one network, whereas a company may have many sub networks for traffic and security purposes. Another application for a wireless LAN is so called “hot spots” in which public locations, such as coffee shops, hotels, restaurants, airports, etc., provide wireless internet access to end-users utilizing Wi-Fi standards.
Not only is the number of wireless mobile devices being introduced to the market steadily increasing, but as technology improves, the types of devices equipped with wireless technology will also grow. For, example, wireless phones, camera-phones, and PDA's already exist. In addition, some watches are wireless, as are some digital cameras. There are many reasons to believe that these devices will become even more common as wireless devices, and that many multi-functional units, such as phones+camera+PDA devices that already exist, will become commonplace. Currently, each wireless device is designed to work with any device connected to it that has appropriate connectivity, such as software and/or hardware drivers.
When a user is carrying a device capable of wireless networking with them, they are currently limited in what they can do when within the service area of a wireless local network. Typically, wireless networks are secure (no access), or, if not secure, then of unknown capability. A certain level of technical expertise is required to make anything work, and the range of possibilities is limited typically to devices from the same manufacturer or devices from a group of manufacturers.
In addition, one mobile device can interact with another mobile device only when specifically directed by the user, such as when deciding to “beam” a file from one PDA to another person's PDA, for example. With existing wireless networks and devices, there are no known sustained interaction modes for transitory (spatial) or selected groups of devices/people.
Currently, the primary way a mobile device user interacts with another mobile device is to request a connection from his device, such as entering a phone number, selecting a device from a Bluetooth device list, or asking a friend to set up to receive an IR beam. Each of these mechanisms is somewhat cumbersome, some more so than others, and they can distract from human interaction—i.e., they require concentration and attention by the device user, which can diminish the enjoyment of the social interactions. There is little, if any known support for enabling multiple mobile devices to simultaneously communicate with one another.
Accordingly, given the proliferation of hot spots and wireless devices, there exists a need for a method and system that unlocks the potential of wireless devices. More particularly, what is needed is a method and system for automatically providing a LAN with group interaction modes for attendees of an event having mobile devices in communication with the LAN. The present invention addresses such a need.